Ghost MPs should be removed from the payroll

Investigations conducted by EACC last week in parliament revealed that former MPs were still earning salaries despite having lost their positions. It is also very disheartening that some egocentric MPs sign attendance lists for their absent colleagues for them to receive sitting allowance. 

Falsification of mileage claims was also evident as a tactic gluttonous MPs use to receive cash from PSC fraudulently. Apart from ghost MPs receiving salaries, it’s also pathetic that the sacked cabinet secretaries will continue enjoying their monthly salaries till 2017 as their contracts dictate. According to EACC, payroll is not authorised by the accountant and the clerk after it’s prepared by the human resource management and thus raising strings of questions on the authenticity of PSC payroll.

I objurgate all this appalling acts MPs indulge in in order to swindle cash from PSC. The country was recently facing a financial crunch due to huge external debts and little tax collected. The money they receive unfairly is gotten from the pockets of pessimistic and heart-broken Kenyans through escalated taxes. Innumerable Kenyans are struggling to cope up with the hard economic times because the cost of living has shot up drastically. It’s unfortunate that MPs do not have shreds of tenderness for citizens who elected them. PSC should thoroughly scrutinise the payroll to ensure that nobody receives what s/he does not deserve.

Cabinet secretaries who were not found guilty of corruption should have resumed offices instead of electing new ones and thus expanding the wage bill. Transparency and accountability remains very vital in eradicating such culprits.